El Escapulario ("The Scapular") (1968) Review
A mystical, gothic story that questions our faith and spirituality
Hey Classic Film Fans!
Spooky Season is here! To celebrate, I’ll be reviewing one classic horror film each week, all the way up to Halloween, spoiler-free1. As some of you may know, since September 15th, we’ve been celebrating Latin American Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15th. So, this week, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and watch Servando González’s mystical, gothic story from 1968, El Escapulario (The Scapular).
BACKGROUND:
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Mexican cinema saw a surge of horror films released, beginning with Fernando Méndez’s El Vampiro (1957). These films often mixed horror with other genres, such as comedy, drama, or action, and were mostly shot in black and white, creating and embracing a gothic atmosphere that was clearly inspired by the Universal Monster films of the 1930s. By contrast, Britain’s famous Hammer Studios during this time was releasing horror films shot in color and exploiting it to create these gory, gaudy films2.
Mexican horror cinema during this period was also known for its incorporation of Mexican folklore, mythology, and social commentary. These films often addressed issues such as class inequality, corruption, and political unrest within Mexican society, using the horror elements as metaphors to critique social problems. El Escapulario is no different, touching upon many of these issues through the lens of the Mexican Revolution.
The Mexican Revolution was a long and bloody struggle that took place in México roughly from 1910 to 1920. It was a complex and multifaceted revolution that involved various factions and had a profound impact on Mexican society and politics.
The revolution resulted in millions of deaths and continued social and economic challenges. However, it also resulted in land reforms, labor rights, the recognition of indigenous rights, and a more inclusive and democratic political system. It is considered one of the most important events in Mexican history, and I encourage you all to read more about it. There is a great 10-minute video that goes into more detail that can be found here.
REVIEW (SPOILER-FREE):
El Escapulario is the story of a woman who is about to die and calls the town’s priest to perform last rites. As the priest begins to perform the last rites, she hands him a scapular, claiming that it has a great power, and has helped keep her sons alive during precarious situations. However, she claims that if you stop believing in the power of the scapular3, you will end up dead soon. At first, the priest doesn’t believe her, but after she tells him the tales of her sons, and the priest has a personal encounter of his own, everything changes.
The surface-level horror of El Escapulario is the punishment that will come to those who don’t believe in the scapular (aka God). But the real horror is in what you can and can’t see. Director Servando González preys on this fear, and the gothic atmosphere created by the masterful Gabriel Figueroa heightens it.
This gothic atmosphere that was so prevalent in Mexican horror films of this era permeates in every corner of the frame in El Escapulario. The stark contrasts between light and shadow and the swirling fog that surrounds our characters throughout add to this sense of mystery and suspense, and it suggests that what the audience is watching is otherworldly or of another time. Given that the scapular itself is a religious symbol within Catholicism, the fog can also suggest the idea that God is all around us. There are hauntingly beautiful dramatic compositions throughout, and a few unconventional camera angles, such as the image below, that add a level of uneasiness and disorientation.
Even though El Escapulario uses Catholicism as a plot device, this is an amoral tale. The film challenges our faith, spirituality, duty to one’s country, and class inequality. The ending of this film is bone-chilling, but I won’t spoil it. It’s one of my favorite endings that I’ve seen in recent memory.
The horror films that have always been most memorable to me are the ones that are able to affect me on a psychological level. El Escapulario is one of those films, and it will linger on your mind long after the runtime.
If you want to watch El Escapulario, it’s available, without subtitles, on YouTube here. The film is also available on Tubi with English subtitles, but fair warning, the score sounds a little janky compared to the YouTube version. However, I don’t think it will hinder your experience if you decide to go that route.
Have you seen El Escapulario? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment below!
No promises, but I will let you know before each review whether it has spoilers or not.
Per the wiki: “A scapular is a Western Christian garment suspended from the shoulders. There are two types of scapulars, the monastic and devotional scapular; both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular". As an object of popular piety, a scapular serves to remind wearers of their commitment to live a Christian life.”
Adding to the watchlist. There's another movie from this period of Mexican horror, The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales, where religion is a plot device and it's a wild ending for a movie from 1960.